Preveli Beach and How to Enjoy It with a Boat Trip from Plakias

There are two companies leaving for Preveli. Each from Plakias with a boat: foinikas tours and plakias boat tours. We prefer foinikas boat because the boat is bigger with windows in the sidelines, so the trip is more comfortable especially when there is strong wind. If you want to enjoy the view from a more elevated position, you can also climb the ladder and sit on the upper floor.

The foinikas tours leave everyday at 10:20 from the port of plakias. Here is a view of the port. The yellow big boat is the one that Foinikas tours uses.

You can park with your car at the port for free and then it is one minute walk to the boat. Above there is a view of where you can park.

You should better come half an hour earlier and issue tickets and get seats in the boat. The ticket costs 15 euros per person for both ways. Small children don’t pay.

There is no food or drinks to buy on the boat, so bring water with you. In the middle of the trip you will be treated with sone orange juice.

The boat takes around fifty people. If there is strong wind, there might not be a departure, so you can call in the morning the company and ask. If the wind cones from the north, it is usually ok, as the north wind doesn’t create big waves in the south of crete.

There is good shadow in the boat everywhere. The best views when going to Preveli are when you sit facing the left side of the boat windows.

These are the departure times from Preveli beach back to Plakias.

As you travel the coastline you will see the beaches of Damnoni, Ammoudaki, Ammouda and then Schoinaria.

The trip from Plakias to Preveli beach with the boat, lasts 30 minutes. It is smooth and pleasant. The only annoyances are the sound of the engine and the eventual smell from the gas of the engine, which you cannot avoid unfortunately.

When you arrive you will see a beach, a river ending in the sea and a palm forest next to the river. Here is the river and the palm forest.

This is the point where the river meets the sea.

And here is a view of the river, the beach and the river.

You can swim in the river if you want, even though the eater is colder that

Once you arrive you will find a lot of trees which offer good shadow, behind the beach.

There is also a small shop selling coffees (only frappe and iced jacobs espresso, not freddo), orange juices, some cheesepies and food.

Below you can see the area with the tables and the chairs. It offers a great shadow.

This is the shop/tavern in Preveli beach. It is the only one and it is self service. You can get refreshments, coffees, water and food such as souvlaki, french fries, greek salads and other.

Our tip, if you want to get a nice shadow once you arrive is the following: the boat will leave you on the east side of the beach. In front of it there are some trees. Don’t go there. Move on towards the west side of the beach, cross the small river and go to the trees next to the shop, the tables and the chairs.Find a tree in the front row, next to the first tables. If it is high season, the beach will get at least one thousand people, everyone is looking for a shadow and it will get jammed quickly.

Here is a view of how crowded it gets:

There are no sunbeds in Preveli beach. You will have to bring your own beach equipment to lie on the sand.

There is a palm trees forrest starting from the beach, right next to the river. There is a small path that you can follow and walk in the palm grove. It is an easy walk around 1300 meters long.

Here are some views you will get in this path.

This is the entrance to the palm forest in Preveli beach.

As you walk, you will have the mountain on your left hand.

Below you can see the path you will be walking in the palm forest. It is fairly easy for families and kids. Bear in mind that there are some stones in the path and your child might fall on them, so keep an eye.

The river will be at your right hand as you walk, and at some points you can get closer to it. This is a popular photo spot in the palm forest.

When you want to leave, make sure you are close to the position that the boat left you (usually at the east side of the beach) at least ten minutes earlier. There might be a lot of people who want to depart at that time and you may have to wait for another boat later. Male sure you have the return tickets at hand when onboarding.

This is the boat that is coming to pick you up for your return to Plakias.